Re: Ben Roethlisberger restructures contract to create cap space
Quote:
Originally Posted by
oneforthetoe
Well, good for LT if he volunteered to take less. Of course, agreeing to take less doesn't mean he volunteered to take less. He might have figured the Jets would release him otherwise. And, maybe LT, desperately wanting to win a Super Bowl, did volunteer to take a pay cut.
Still, IMO, it is rare for players to truly volunteer to take less money. None of the Steelers that restructured their contracts did so. I stand by my argument that it does not make sense to restructure a 1 year deal (unless the player will take less money), because you would have to extend the contract of a player beyond that 1 year. If you don't plan on keeping that player for two seasons, you could have dead cap money in future years.
As I said, I have been expecting an announcement about Aaron being released or being asked to take a pay cut. However, I am not just going to throw one of the great Steelers of his generation under a bus because some perceive that he is being greedy, without any proof that he refused any request from the Steelers. I remember the beginning of last season and Aaron was having a pretty good year until he was injured. Hard for me to believe he wouldn't be good as a back-up and in the rotation at d'end this season. Which, by the way, "the greedy bastard," said he would be happy to accept, while he tutors our young guns at d'end.
So, if Aaron is released, I will understand why. If he is not released, I will root for him, and admire all that he has done for Steelers these past years. The guy was one of, if not the best, 3-4 d'ends in the league. So, I guess I will just have to suffer being "wrong."
Agreed! When healthy is still thee best 3-4 end in the league and an awesome person and teammate to boot.
Re: Ben Roethlisberger restructures contract to create cap space
Quote:
Originally Posted by
steelerfan
It's great that Ben, Brent and James all re-worked their deals to help. But, if the season starts, and Aaron Smith is still here getting ALL his over 4 1/2 million dollar base salary,,,I will be disgusted beyond belief. No way that guy should be getting paid what he is when he has done next to nothing the past 2 years, AND when we have a Pro Bowler in Brent on one side, and a 3rd year STUD like Ziggy on the other.
Ahh how quickly we turn on our own.
Re: Ben Roethlisberger restructures contract to create cap space
Quote:
Originally Posted by
oneforthetoe
Well, good for LT if he volunteered to take less. Of course, agreeing to take less doesn't mean he volunteered to take less. He might have figured the Jets would release him otherwise. And, maybe LT, desperately wanting to win a Super Bowl, did volunteer to take a pay cut.
Still, IMO, it is rare for players to truly volunteer to take less money. None of the Steelers that restructured their contracts did so. I stand by my argument that it does not make sense to restructure a 1 year deal (unless the player will take less money), because you would have to extend the contract of a player beyond that 1 year. If you don't plan on keeping that player for two seasons, you could have dead cap money in future years.
Its actually not that rare at all and players like Roethlisberger and Harrison don't need to because they aren't at the end of their careers. A guy like Aaron Smith, who has been injured the last couple years, who is getting up there in age and may not garner anything on the open market would. Do you think he'd rather be cut then collect a million or two million a year? It happens quite often in the NFL, usually with the older guys...
Re: Ben Roethlisberger restructures contract to create cap space
Quote:
Originally Posted by
oneforthetoe
However, I am not just going to throw one of the great Steelers of his generation under a bus because some perceive that he is being greedy, without any proof that he refused any request from the Steelers.
I'd love to still have Joey Porter, Willie Parker, and Alan Faneca on the same team. But football just doesn't work that way. Guy's played in 11ish games the last two seasons and has a huge contract. Just no logical reason to keep him. It's a shame, and I love all he's done for us, but you don't pay an injury prone backup 4.5 mil.
Re: Ben Roethlisberger restructures contract to create cap space
Quote:
Originally Posted by
IUSteel
I'd love to still have Joey Porter, Willie Parker, and Alan Faneca on the same team. But football just doesn't work that way. Guy's played in 11ish games the last two seasons and has a huge contract. Just no logical reason to keep him. It's a shame, and I love all he's done for us, but you don't pay an injury prone backup 4.5 mil.
Your point is valid regarding the players you named. However, I'm not sure that applies to Aaron. First, as I mentioned, before being injured last season, Aaron was playing great. Willie clearly had lost a step by the time the Steelers let him go. In case of Faneca, he was due for a new contract. The Steelers had decided they were not going to offer him one final big contract. And I think we can all agree that Faneca was not going to sign a one year contract for 4.5 million.
Porter was sort of a combination of the two. His quickness had diminished and he was also looking for that last big contract. I haven't heard anything about a contract extension for Aaron. My guess is that he plays out this season and then he is done.
For those that want Aaron gone, exactly who are the back-ups at d'end this season? Remember Eason is gone. I seriously doubt the Steelers are going to rely on a rookie. Even Ziggy wasn't that much help his first season.
Finally, as to the cap hit of 4.5 million, I too thought the Steelers might release Aaron and try to bring him back at a reduced rate. However, that does not appear as likely now. 4.5 million? We payed a back-up LT 7 or 8 miliioon the other year. While it would give the Steelers more flexibility if that number was less, it really isn't that outrageous of a cap hit for a guy that could still be capable of playing at a pro bowl level, albeit probably on a rotational basis. In the end, I trust the coaching staff and FO to know how much Aaron has left in the tank.
Re: Ben Roethlisberger restructures contract to create cap space
Re: Ben Roethlisberger restructures contract to create cap space
Ben is a great player, and a good team player. I hate it when people say that he is selfish and only looking out for himself. Yes he has had his off the field problems, but in my eyes he is a changed man, and wants to keep the team together by re doing his deal.
